Highlights: UN condemns killing of aid worker in Somalia

Nairobi (28 August 2012) – The UN in Somalia condemns yesterday’s killing of a colleague working for the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Marka, southern Somalia.

Since August 2011, 20 humanitarian workers have been killed in Somalia while striving to bring relief and support to millions of suffering people. The number of Somalis receiving life-saving aid has more than doubled since famine was declared in July 2011 as the UN and humanitarian partners scaled up operations to reach vulnerable communities. Today, over 1.6 million Somalis are receiving food assistance, while 1.7 million people access clean water. Attacks on aid workers compromise the UN’s ability to maintain large-scale humanitarian operations and impact on the lives of vulnerable Somalis.

The UN reminds all actors in Somalia of the neutral and impartial nature of humanitarian action and appeals to all parties to permit aid workers to continue to safely serve all those in need in the country, wherever they are. As civilians continue to be the principal victims of ongoing conflict, the UN demands that all parties minimize the impact of conflict on civilians.